Anna Sorenson

 

Of all the things that I love about music, I value it most for its versatility. Whether you are doing laundry or going for a run, focusing on work or partying with friends, there is a record that can provide the exact energy you need.
 

Hey! Thank you for being here! This website here holds the work I completed for my Advanced Seminar class, Writing About Music in the 21st Century. I've always loved music, and my dad made sure from an early age that I listened to all types of genres. This class allowed me to use my musical knowledge and curiosity to curate a few different types of writing pieces. Each one covers a different approach to music as an artform.

 

The first writing project assignment is a Track-by-Track Annotated Playlist from one of my favorite bands, 49 Winchester. The purpose of this piece is to create a representative playlist containing 8-10 songs that encapsulate the band's sound. A big goal of this assignment is to illustrate the band's evolution, and represent the overall career of the band. I carefully and strategically chose 10 songs, because I wanted my reader to get a full introduction to 49 Winchester. Given that not very many readers may know them, this felt right. I made a few revisions to this piece, such as linking articles to relevant parts of the annotations and placing each music or lyric video beneath each respective song. This way, my readers could have the full experience of listening to each song while simultaneously reading my annotations. With this, there is full engagement, and my endorsement of the band is more convincing.

 

The second writing project assignment is a Desert Island Disc. This piece contains just what it sounds like. An album, if I could only choose one, to bring to my deserted island all alone. The idea of this popular music review is to decide on a singular piece of music to keep you company and the spirits high or hopeful. This writing project was easily the most personal one for me. I shared my emotional connection to the band, Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS). My writing reflects on a very vulnerable and challenging period of my life through high school, and the memories I have with the album, "How to: Friend, Love, Freefall". I essentially make my case as to why I would choose this album to bring along with me on my desert island. I made the most revisions to this piece, per the feedback given by Professor Benz. I dove a little deeper into the lyrics and my favorite song on the album. Further, I concluded the piece in a more complete and thorough way, rather than the original and accidental abrupt ending. I also added more media items to enhance the reader's experience.

 

The final and third writing project is a live review. For this I attended a concert and diligently observed the performance, noting all the details of the night. I had a blast with this one and went to an up-and-coming country artist, Luke Grimes, at the historic First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN. I made very minimal adjustments to this piece, as my feedback was highly positive.  The performance as a whole was fantastic, great memories were made with an old friend, seeing a new artist to add to my playlists.

 

A) How does your portfolio reflect your personal experiences with music and with writing about music to public audiences?

 

Music has always been such a huge part of my life. I've forever been a fan of all types and styles of music. It was great to take some time during my winter break, with no other responsibilities, and dive deep into so many genres and musicians. From the discussion posts located in Posts on the website menu, to the final portfolio Writing Projects, I feel I covered a lot of ground. I poured my heart into each assignment, reconnecting with my love for writing. I rambled. I got sappy. I was blunt. It was such a neat experience to break away from the traditional, formal business prose I have been so invested in the past few years at the University of Denver. The academic readings for discussion post assignments helped me to realize that there is professional writing out there that is satirical, aggressive, entertaining, and more. My personal experiences and opinions are prevalent throughout my website and work for this class. Music has gotten me through some really tough times. It has celebrated with me, "pregamed" with me, cried with me, all the emotions you can imagine - music has been there. I believe that this website is an accurate reflection of my favorite genres, curiosities, and newfound loves in the world of music.

 

B) How does your portfolio’s content reflect how you will approach music and music writing (your own and by others) in the future?

 

While my portfolio and its contents provide an insight into my current phase of music obsessions or recollections of the past, it's important to recognize that artistic expressions evolve. My current approach to music and writing about music is influenced by the chapter of my life I am in. Coming to the end of college, with the real-world looming, I am finding comfort in songs that make me feel peaceful and grounded. The melodies of Americana do just that, and my old alternative indie favorites do too. Who knows what future factors may affect my approach. The beauty of music is that no matter the season, your mood, or the experience, there is a soundtrack for it somewhere.  I hope that it is clear from my portfolio that I am an open book, eager for new suggestions, and willing to step out of my comfort zone to get inspired.

 

C) When it comes to writing about music, what advice would you give to future students enrolled in this ASEM?

 

My biggest piece of advice would be to drop your ego and preconceived notions. Acknowledge that you have bias, and that bias can rob you of new experiences, especially musically. Music can be highly emotional, allow yourself to feel. When you write, start out by throwing it all onto the page. Edit down from there. When writing or reading about music, make sure to take note of your initial reaction. Allowing yourself too much time to reflect can cause you to second guess. Go with your gut. Finally, avoid procrastinating. Writing is a creative process; it is easiest to get a start early and be able to catch those grammatical errors later.

 

Remember to know your audience, but only as much as you want to… I find it exciting to think about the fact that you never know who will read your reviews. Some may love your take on the album, song, or musician at hand, and some may despise it.  That's the fun in it. Engaging in passionate debate whilst keeping an open mind is something that more people need to dabble in. To lose opinion and conversation is to have nothing. But one thing is for sure, music is a language that anyone can be fluent in. So listen in and experience different kinds! You never know what you may discover.